As part of his Lead training programme, Edister visited the Likangala Bridge, the main quarrying area for the local community. Having nurtured and developed his leadership skills in the context of real-life sustainability problems, Edister quickly identified an opportunity to make a real difference to the area.
At the heart of many sustainability issues is the delicate balance between commercial activities and environmental needs; this was very much the case in the Likangala Bridge area.
One of the key tenets of many of Lead’s activities is the importance of engaging and involving the local people and community but at this site, as is so often the case, this was particularly difficult as they lacked any form of strong leadership and coordination.
Edister volunteered to help the local population and set about addressing these fundamental problems. Using the leadership skills he had nurtured with Lead and his background in organizational psychology, Edister set up a working group and provided training to help them identify their needs and meet their goals. The desire and enthusiasm to work together and bring about change was clearly evident and 24 people joined the group.
Under the guidance of Edister, the group worked quickly to establish a structure of meetings, elect office bearers, and create a communal saving fund. With a coordinated structure in place, Edister then worked with them on team-building and decision-making, and with the support of his students, has facilitated a series of workshops on leadership.
The ‘bridge’ between the community’s commercial activities and the areas’ environmental needs has been built and, with Edister’s support, the Likangala Quarry Group continues to thrive; working towards its goal of managing the environment in a sustainable way while supporting and developing the livelihood of the community.
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